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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25454539">That which can never be fixed</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomethingSomeone/pseuds/SomethingSomeone'>SomethingSomeone</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>For the heart of a Tyrant [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Bleach</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Bad Ending, Dark Magic, Heavy Angst, Human Sacrifice, M/M, Sacrifice</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:28:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,572</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25454539</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomethingSomeone/pseuds/SomethingSomeone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The finale of the Overlord's tragedy.</p><p>It had taken him long enough to realize the mistakes from the past and spot the traitorous shadows roaming with no shame around him. Now he would get the revenge he so madly desired against those who stole the only light of his world and condemned him to a life of suffering.</p><p>Though perhaps, death was too good for them, and he could put them to good use in one last, broken attempt to fix his broken heart.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hollow Ichigo | Zangetsu/Kurosaki Ichigo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>For the heart of a Tyrant [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1429762</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>That which can never be fixed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>It took me like, a year, but wheeeee, here we are. The closing act of a painful series based off Bleach Brave Soul's "Cacao Society". I swear I didn't mean for this to be 1. so long and 2. so painful, but people wanted more from the first one shot and now this happened. You brought this upon yourselves for wanting more pain (and also. I'm like. So, so sorry for this ;w; please forgive me someday)</p><p>As always, thank you for coming, thank you for staying, and a bigger thank you for reading. Enjoy this dose of unrestrained pain!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><span>ー</span>What's so fascinating about this, if I may know?</p><p>The challenging and firm voice that came from behind made the Overlord jump in surprise and sharply turn around, lighting up his gauntlet and getting ready to shoot. If not for his Commander's experience, his head would've been blown away to ashes that same instant. Instead, he skillfully deflected the blast of magic with his claws, causing it to explode a few meters past him in two separated balls of light.</p><p><span>ー</span>…We should really work on that.</p><p><span>ー</span>C-Commander!<span>ー</span> Shirosaki blinked a few times before yelling and stomping over Ichigo, fuming about how dangerous that was. <span>ー</span>Don't just go and scare me like that! I could've killed you, for fuck's sake!</p><p><span>ー</span>I wouldn't scare you if I wasn't aware of what could come next. Relax, I know you would never kill me.<span>ー</span> Ichigo grinned playfully and elegantly walked past the Overlord, shrugging at his judging eyes and making his way to the circle in the middle of the dark room.</p><p>His mocking behavior shifted back into his initial seriousness when he stared long enough at the drawings on the floor. His expression was morphed into a frown, before he exhaled loudly and turned around to face his Overlord again. His mouth was curved in disapproval, and Shirosaki sighed as he braced for the incoming lecture.</p><p><span>ー</span>How many times do I have to say it...</p><p><span>ー</span>Honestly, I lost count.</p><p><span>ー</span>...I hate this. So much. Overlord, you wouldn't understand how much I hate this.<span>ー</span> the orange haired soldier pointed firmly behind him, almost accusingly. <span>ー</span>How could you? After all the times I repeated it, how could you? I don't want you meddling with this kind of stuff. Aren't you powerful enough with the Core, the Fortress, your Magic, your army?</p><p><span>ー</span>You forgot yourself.<span>ー</span> Shirosaki huffed with a carefree smile plastered on his smug face.</p><p>Sadly, this time Ichigo wasn't dramatically moved for the words.</p><p><span>ー</span>I don't care. I don't want you touching this kind of stuff ever again. Nothing good comes out of Dark Magic.</p><p>The Overlord wanted to argue, but the intense glare from Ichigo's eyes forced him to, for once, remain quiet. They didn't look like any other time, when he could at least catch a glimpse of playfulness, or amusement, or just a small sparkle of something different, whatever it was.</p><p>This time, there was only anger reflected on the chocolate brown orbs he loved so much.</p><p><span>ー</span>Ah, sure thing, but now don't be like that, Ichi-</p><p>His Commander strolled past him and completely ignored the hand Shiro had lifted to meet his cheek and cup it tenderly.</p><p>He never thought it would hurt so much to be ignored that way.</p><p><span>ー</span>I'm going to a meeting to plan the take over of the Sweetfruit Kingdom.<span>ー</span> Ichigo said, coldly. <span>ー</span>Don't bother me until I say so.</p><p><span>ー</span>Hey, I'm the one that gives the orders over... here... and, he's gone.</p><p>Shirosaki loudly and dramatically breathed out, perhaps exaggerating the gesture beyond what was necessary in hopes of reaching Ichigo's ears and giving him enough guilt as to come back and at least give him a flash kiss on his cheek.</p><p>He had fucked up big this time. He remembered the Commander talking about how Dark Magic was the one thing he wouldn't stand from anyone. He didn't know why Ichigo acted in such a way about it, but it was clear he didn't have a decent relationship with that area. It was also clear, Ichigo had reacted decently only because it was the Overlord the one doing it. He was mad, yeah, but thinking on it, Shirosaki was sure Ichigo was ready to rip apart any other soldier he caught using the forbidden arts.</p><p>It had been an accident, really. A casual book that fell on him while he was looking for information about the Cottoncandy Kingdom had made him yelp and almost burn it. <em>Almost</em>. When he tried to do so, the book rejected his magic as if it was protected by something even more powerful than him.</p><p>That's what awakened his curiosity.</p><p>The Overlord simply took a peek at whatever was inside, and he felt immediately intrigued by its contents. This was magic he had never seen before. It was powerful, with abilities beyond anything he had ever imagined. It was worth giving it a try, right? It didn't seem inherently dangerous, there was nothing wrong with it.</p><p>However, if the mere sight of it made Ichigo go into hatred mode, then it wasn't worth it.</p><p>Sighing deeply, Shirosaki moved over the incantation site and swiped his armoured foot over the floor. One side of the eerie circle came undone, and the magic immediately began to dissipate. These Dark spells required perfection to work, so the smallest mistake meant no gain. Walking to the center of the drawings, the Overlord picked up the book, which was strangely open right in the middle (when had that happened?), and went to save it where he had found it.</p><p>He hesitated before letting go of it for good, the idea of supreme magic being his to control was extremely tempting...</p><p>No. It wasn't worth it. It wasn't worth seeing Ichigo furious for gaining a little bit more of power. Didn't he have enough?</p><p>With that last thought, he left the library and closed the heavy doors with a loud, booming hit, to never open them again.</p><p>〜☆〜</p><p>All Gods be damned. Fate itself be damned. Everything be damned.</p><p>Anything was worth it by that point. He couldn't take it anymore. Not after three years of painful memories assaulting him in the middle of the night, "his" long silenced screams making him go into panic attacks out of nowhere, the vivid image of "his" face contorted in pain coming to him when making plans in the solitude of his quarters.</p><p>Selfishness was Shirosaki's last name, it seemed. He had ordered for high level magicians to place a powerful spell inside <em>that</em> room, wasting useless resources on a personal whim. Said magic, said energy, that could be used in the battlefield as both support and lethal force, was being used to keep a room out of the known time axis.</p><p>Ichigo's body had been left intact since his funeral. He would never let it rot and disappear.</p><p>The Overlord had fought off all those who tried to tell him it was a ridiculous idea. He still did it, ignoring the angered complains of Captains and soldiers alike. Preserving his body? One last meaningless memory? For what? It had been destroyed already, his arms and legs gone, his stomach tore open and covered in flowers to hide the hideous insides. Yes, he had been left exactly like his last arrangement, the Overlord's tears invisible on his clothes but still there; if one touched the pristine white, one could feel the wetness lingering on them.</p><p>That room had been kept trapped in a time capsule of sorts. The room where his coffin was existed three years in the past, in the present. For that, huge amounts of magical energy were being used ("wasted" was everyone's favorite term to describe it), tighly contained in four crystals forming a barrier around him. Every week, a group of magicians would need to go and refill their mana. That had been the procedure up until then.</p><p>But the Overlord's emptiness had reached a limit. A terrifying hatred fueled by loneliness had grown its roots inside him, his only comfort but also the origin of his pain being that room. When he felt he was about to blow up, about to do something stupid beyond comprehension, he would go in there and sit down, hum a tone he remembered "he" liked, talk to himself (<em>talk to him?</em>), once he even fell asleep while staring at the hypnotizing lights of the crystals.</p><p>Now, like any of those days, Shirosaki felt like reaching his breaking point. Like any of those days, the heavy doors closed and locked behind him as his solid, metallic footsteps made their way into the God forsaken altar. He reached the limit of the magical cage, his temptation of walking in being prevented by the idea of staying frozen in time alongside his perished sunshine. He sighed, then unlocked part of his gauntlet and brought his bare hand up to rub the bridge of his nose. His legs buckled under him, and he abruptly sat down.</p><p><span>ー</span>They're all fucking idiots. All fucking idiots! You son of a bitch, leaving me alone among all these treacherous bastards. Fuck them. I swear to God, if Aaroniero tries to poison me one more time, I'm ripping his throat open!</p><p>It always began like that. He would walk in, crumble down, vent, yell and rant about how utterly incompetent his army was sometimes, and how utterly cruel it was of his Commander to leave him so suddenly among all those fools. Then he would shut up, sigh, let his glance wander around the room to finally lock it on the casket, to then trace with his eyes whatever scars were visible, up and down, sometimes bringing his own hand up to trace the lines on his face and just try to imagine what kind of pain "he" went through during the assault. Sometimes, he would close his eyes abruptly as a painful memory came to him, and he would mutter curses and hit the floor in fury.</p><p>It always ended with him silently crying in the memory of his deceased light, his teeth gritted in rage and the hot tears attempting and failing to be contained in his eyes, tense and shut almost painfully soー</p><p>-Except this time, that didn't happen.</p><p>After he was done rambling about how annoying it was to deal with Grimmjow's lingering presence in the Core, feeling as if he was being mocked, laughed at by him whenever he used it, the Overlord fell silent. His eyes were drawn to the floor, deep in thought, and flashing memories of the fated day crossed his mind. The way he had found "him" in the forest, the way he had tried to save "him", the way he had to face the harsh reality.</p><p>Shirosaki squinted his eyes at this, something entirely new coming to his mind for the first time.</p><p>Grimmjow had always been there. He had been with "him" in the forest. He had been the one to call him, to tell him "he" was dying, to run behind him back to the camp, to plan bits and pieces of the attack beforehand alongside them, to inform Ggio and Barragan of the raid and their positions.</p><p>Something clicked.</p><p><span>ー</span>...when... did I say that bastard could go to the front?</p><p>Shirosaki widened his eyes and his breath hitched. Instantly, he was back on his feet, wobbling slightly at the rush of enraged adrenaline he felt was being pumped into his veins. Without hesitation, he put his armour around his arm again and violently lit it up, preparing it for what he already knew was coming.</p><p><span>ー</span>Took you long enough to tell me... took you long enough.<span>ー</span> he spat through gritted teeth, grasping onto his last bits of sanity before going to wage war itself. For a second, his entire body relaxed and he gifted the corpse of his lover a tense smile, madness shining on the Overlord's eyes. <span>ー</span>But don't worry, it's ok now. I'll take care of this for you, I promise. I'll be right back.</p><p>As soon as he was done talking, he turned around abruptly and stomped out the room, the heavy doors closing behind him loudly.</p><p>The moment he spotted a guard, who saluted him accordingly, he yelled, practically scaring the life out of him.</p><p><span>ー</span>Get Captains Ggio and Barragan to the throne room this fucking instant!</p><p>〜☆〜</p><p>He couldn't deny he was scared.</p><p>Since the very moment he stepped into the Fortress as a soldier, Ggio had feared the Overlord. He respected Captain Barragan, and honestly, if he hadn't been promoted to that position himself, he would've asked to be put in his Squad. He saw that old man as his leader out of admiration of who he was; the Overlord, on the other hand, was the leader he feared more than anything in the world. He was powerful and good at first, really, but slowly, he had turned soft and... smarter. <em>Boring.</em> It was a rather strange evolution to behold from his point of view.</p><p>However, not long after the former Commander's death, he turned again, this time for sure, into a monstruous tyrant devoid of a heart. The only thing that kept him human now were his whims on the pathetic, deceased Commander he practically worshipped. Outside of that, he had forgotten the meaning of mercy, compassion, and hesitation, now embracing a ruthless path of maniac overkills, day after day, far worse than before.</p><p>Perhaps, in the beginning, Ggio joined the army following the Overlord's path and promise of conquest and power. Now he remained out of fear of being murdered the moment he attempted to leave.</p><p>"The Overlord has summoned you to the throne room... ahem, this very instant. It's urgent."</p><p>Ah, crap.</p><p>As he made his way to the place and stood in front of the gates, he had to stop and calm his breathing before entering. He inhaled deeply, rearranged his clothing and his armour, gulped and felt how terribly dry his throat was.</p><p><span>ー</span>So you're here too.</p><p>The short black haired Captain gasped and turned his head around sharply. To his right, for who knows how long, the old yet strong Captain Barragan stood firmly, looking down at him with uncaring eyes. Ggio yelped and saluted him, a tiny smile coming to his face at the sight of the assassin he admired as a king.</p><p><span>ー</span>Sir Barragan! A pleasure to see you! I'm glad to see you're doing fine!</p><p><span>ー</span>Silence, I'm not interested in your greetings. What are you doing, standing in front of the throne room like a fool?</p><p><span>ー</span>I have been summoned here, sir! I see you've been called forth too!</p><p><span>ー</span>For what reason?</p><p><span>ー</span>I… d-don't know, sir!</p><p><span>ー</span>What a useless informant.<span>ー</span> the old man spat at the young Captain. <span>ー</span>Let us wait until someone else shows up before entering, perhaps this is a meeting of the high ranks.</p><p>Ggio was about to enthusiastically retort with a "yes" when the doors opened abruptly, the sound of them hitting against the walls reverberating through the entire Fortress. The Captains both took their stances, Barragan standing tall and hitting the floor with his oversized double axe, while Ggio turned and straightened his back tensely.</p><p><span>ー</span>That won't be necessary.<span>ー</span> the ominous voice of the Overlord reached their ears from deep inside the darkness of the room. <span>ー</span>You're the only ones I wanted here.</p><p><span>ー</span>He's... furious...<span>ー</span> the tiger Captain couldn't help speaking up in frightened awe.</p><p><span>ー</span>Silence.<span>ー</span> Barragan grunted in response.</p><p><span>ー</span>Don't just fucking stand there. Get in.</p><p>Complying instantly, the two men walked forward and left the halls occasionally decorated in plushies and pink to enter a world of shadows and dread, long silenced screams of pain and gruesome scenes of exemplary punishments lingering in the memories of the four walls around them. The few lights inside were dim, but they weren't exactly needed to notice the piercing yellow that stared down at the two soldiers, boring into their souls and stalking them like defenseless preys, ready to lunge and rip them to shreds in the blink of an eye.</p><p><span>ー</span>Bow.</p><p>Ggio went down first, also bowing his head down in a sign of respect. Barragan followed not so long after, but he kept his head high and arrogant.</p><p><span>ー</span>So… where do we start? Is there something you two want to tell me first?</p><p>The Overlord was met with a long silence.</p><p><span>ー</span>Fine. Do it as you wish, the result will be the same.</p><p><span>ー</span>Your Majesty, what's going on? Did we do something… wrong?<span>ー</span> doubtful, Ggio tried to approach whatever subject the Overlord meant first.</p><p><em><span>ー</span>Wrong?<span>ー</span></em> the pressure in the room increased tenfold. The Captains gulped. <span>ー</span><em>Oh, that's a fucking understatement.</em></p><p><span>ー</span>Enough with the games, Your Majesty.<span>ー</span> Barragan went next. <span>ー</span>What do you want with all of this?</p><p>The Overlord seemed to squint his eyes briefly, a flicker of something evil reflected on them for a millisecond. He stood up, his white jacket flowing ominously behind him with the sudden movement as he began making his way down the stairs. His armoured boots clicked loudly with every step.</p><p>And, with every step, came a storm of questions assaulting them.</p><p><span>ー</span>I'm sure you remember that day three years ago, don't you? You remember the orders you were given, you remember my plan, you remember everything, don't you?</p><p><span>ー</span>Your Majes-</p><p><span>ー</span>Did you know Grimmjow was going to the front lines?</p><p><span>ー</span>Ehrm.<span>ー</span> Ggio stuttered, searching for the correct words, pressured by Barragan's sudden stare and the Overlord approaching them slowly. <span>ー</span>N-no, we didn't know, he wasn't in your plans.</p><p><em><span>ー</span>When</em> did Grimmjow arrive to the front lines?</p><p>Ggio gulped.</p><p><span>ー</span>Like I said, Overlord, he wasn't supposed to go according to your orders, we don't know when-</p><p><span>ー</span>Fuck my orders. When did he get there, based on <em>his </em>plan?</p><p>
  <em>Crap.</em>
</p><p><span>ー</span>Overlord.<span>ー</span> the old Captain cleared his throat before continuing, the hard stare of his leader looming over him like a shadow of death. <span>ー</span>We have no idea what you're talking about.</p><p>
  <b>
    <em><span>ー</span>STOP PLAYING DUMB!</em>
  </b>
</p><p>The Fortress shook in an earthquake. Ggio yelped, almost losing his balance, and Barragan had to support himself on his axe. The windows behind them cracked under the pressure, and small fragments of rubble fell from the ceiling and the walls.</p><p>The Overlord had to stop for a moment, close his eyes, and take a long, deep breath to apparently try and calm himself. Then he gritted his teeth, and snapped his eyes open with clear intentions to kill at least one person that evening.</p><p>Ggio and Barragan, for once, felt a mutual connection between themselves and exchanged a quick glance. Neither of them liked where this was going.</p><p><span>ー</span>I know it. I know all of it. It took me three fucking years to realize it. I thought it was strange, how Grimmjow failed to protect "him" that day so miserably, but I solved his incompetence by killing him. I forgot… there are a thousand other factors meddled in a battlefield.</p><p>He finally reached the end of the stairs, and instead of walking towards them, he stood still.</p><p><span>ー</span>I don't want to believe it, really. But it's obvious there can be traitors in my army, and right now, you're the biggest fucking candidates.</p><p><span>ー</span>Overl-</p><p><span>ー</span>Tell me everything that happened that day. From the moment you woke up to the moment you went to sleep. I don't care how long that shit takes.</p><p>The Captains had their eyes fixed on their leader, stunned at what he was requesting. How were they supposed to remember all of that? They knew what happened, yes, but all the details had slipped past them after three years.</p><p>Suddenly, the dark king sat down. It was abrupt, almost as if he had fallen down, but they knew that wasn't possible given the serious, murderous expression he still wore. He placed his left arm on his lap, and brought his right hand up to lean on it, as if casually resting and getting ready to hear a fairytale.</p><p><span>ー</span>I'm listening. We have <em>all day</em> to go through this… <em>as many times as you fucking want.</em></p><p>Barragan adjusted his position, so he was more comfortable with his axe still supporting him, then looked over Ggio with uncaring eyes.</p><p><span>ー</span>You're good at talking and your memory is surely better than mine, an old soul. Go ahead… I can fill in spaces if necessary.</p><p>Well, that was a low blow.</p><p><span>ー</span>Y-yes, sir, I… I'll try my best, Your Majesty.</p><p><span>ー</span>Fine. Now start talking.<span>ー</span> though he said they had all day for it, the Overlord sure seemed impatient.</p><p>Taking a long mouthful of air, Ggio began.</p><p><span>ー</span>I was with my platoon watching over the strategic post at the river, we were supposed to get supplies for the day if nothing came up. L... lord Grimmjow called me around midday, perhaps before, and informed me we would be moving south to meet with sir Barragan's group in the forest. We did exactly that. The… the Commander met up with us some time after we had settled down the camp. He was alone.</p><p><span>ー</span>To be more precise<span>ー</span> the old Captain decided to add a detail then. <span>ー, </span>he was escorted by two low level guards. Just some random soldiers, we don't know who they were.</p><p><span>ー</span>Y-yes! I forgot, they were his escorts. My apolo-</p><p><span>ー</span>Just keep going. I'm not interested in your apologies.</p><p>Ggio sighed.</p><p><span>ー</span>As you please, Your Majesty. Like I was saying, he arrived past lunch time, I believe. Around an hour after he got there, we were attacked by an enemy magician. They bombarded our camp from the air and gave away our position to the enemy army when we injured them.</p><p>The Overlord motioned for him to stop, his interest seemingly caught by something.</p><p><span>ー</span>Attacked by a mage? From Cacao's army? Did you capture them?</p><p><span>ー</span>No, we injured him but they escaped. We don't know who it was.</p><p>For a moment, their leader stared intensely, and he looked like he wanted to speak again but decided to stay silent. With a single hand motion, Ggio understood he had to continue.</p><p><span>ー</span>After that happened, the Commander gave out orders to counterattack and we headed to the battlefield through the forest. He fell behind us, I was supposed to take my platoon to attack the right flank. Sir Barragan...</p><p><span>ー</span>I was assigned to assassinate the Royal Knight Yoruichi.</p><p><span>ー</span>Mhm, yes, that. We carried out our orders. We… we went back to the camp, and you showed up not so long after, carrying… him. You wiped out the enemy army next, and we decided to move forward and reclaim the territory we had won thanks to you. We only saw Grimmjow when you arrived to the camp… and what happened with him afterwards is a mystery for us. U-until you executed him, of course! That's… that's all we know, Overlord.</p><p>Silence came after that. Ggio appreciated that minute to recover some air after his rant, though it wasn't like he wasn't used to them. As Barragan had gently stated before… he was talkative, and he knew that. Perhaps that was why the Overlord had summoned him there. He could give valuable intel by merely talking, and he could keep going for hours, remembering details here and there...</p><p><span>ー</span>Alright, so… if I understood correctly. You were attacked by a mage.</p><p>The dark king broke his train of thought and brought the tiger Captain back to the real world. Quickly, he nodded.</p><p><span>ー</span>Yes, sir.</p><p><span>ー</span>You couldn't capture him.</p><p><span>ー</span>No.</p><p><span>ー</span>Then how do you know his gender?</p><p>
  <em>Fuck.</em>
</p><p>The black haired Captain widened his eyes, and a tiny, nervous laugh escaped past his lips.</p><p><span>ー</span>No, Your Majesty, you must be mistaken, I didn't know their gender…</p><p><span>ー</span>You slipped once and said "him". Now I said it too and you didn't correct me. And, to top all of that…</p><p>The Overlord was quiet for a moment, and the Captains recognized the expression he wore. A flash of memories. Their leader shut his eyes, breathed deeply, then raised his head and opened them again, locking his yellow orbs with Ggio's.</p><p><span>ー</span>To top all of that, "he" taught me… Queen Halibel would never use those tactics. Cacao Kingdom fights with some damn manners, a surprise attack is not their style. I know that perfectly. It's not possible for an enemy mage to do that. And, for said enemy mage… to be known by you.</p><p><span>ー</span>Your Majesty, I said it was a mistake-</p><p>He didn't even give him time to defend himself.</p><p><span>ー</span>Oh! Another one I liked in your story, you went to attack the right flank with your platoon. To do that, you crossed the forest and went faster than "him". Explain to me how did your shitty, slow troops catch up to you if "he" couldn't do it. I know my soldiers, and I'm pretty damn sure they couldn't surpass "him". As a Captain… of fucking course <em>you</em> could.</p><p><span>ー</span>What? That made no sense-</p><p><span>ー</span>I don't care if it makes sense or not! Your story doesn't make any damn sense either, Captain!<span>ー</span> the Overlord stood up, and suddenly spun on his heels with his arms wide open to the sides, smiling madly and laughing a bit, as if he had been told a really good joke. He brought one of his hands to cover his eyes, a few giggles still escaping him here and there. <span>ー</span>To think I trusted you to lead my men, both of you, treacherous fucking <em>snakes</em>…</p><p>Insulted, Barragan also stood up and practically challenged the Overlord with his axe, swinging it and pointing it at him with his expression furrowed in anger.</p><p><span>ー</span>Don't put me together with this mongrel! I did what I was told, I have nothing to do with his lies!</p><p>The white haired king barked a horrifying laugh before snapping his arm forward and grabbing the blade, to then let his gauntlet go off and explode directly on it. The old Captain and the younger black haired man both gasped and watched as the ancient weapon cracked and crumbled to pieces like fragile porcelain.</p><p><span>ー</span>Captain!<span>ー</span> the Overlord practically sang the word. <span>ー</span>Would you be so kind as to explain why was my Commander escorted by low level guards when he should've been accompained by <em>at least</em> four elite soldiers?</p><p><span>ー</span>…why are you asking me!? I wasn't the one who sent him off to the battlefield!</p><p><span>ー</span>But you should've informed me of that.</p><p>Barragan gritted his teeth and prepared to shout something back, but he wasn't given the time to answer.</p><p><span>ー</span>And, another fun fact of your side of the story. If you were assigned to assassinate Yoruichi, you were supposed to work in the shadows, silently, swiftly, like you usually do with your missions… instantly.</p><p>Barragan squinted his eyes furiously.</p><p><span>ー</span>What? What does that mean?</p><p><span>ー</span>Why would you wait for an attack to happen to head out and carry out your orders? Why didn't you head out the moment you were given your assignment?</p><p>The old man was silent.</p><p><span>ー</span>The cherry on top of all of that is the fact you knew an attack was coming. Is that why you waited? Hm? Is that fucking why?</p><p>More silence.</p><p>No answer.</p><p><span>ー</span>Do you… do you even realize what you've done?</p><p>Whatever funny outburst happened before was gone. Almost tragically, the Overlord's expression had shifted from a maniac smile, uncaringly mocking his soldiers, to one filled with broken grief, an incomprehensible sadness, his teeth gritted almost painfully, his eyes tense and trembling in fury. He eyed the last remnants of Barragan's axe, still crumbling after being violently snapped, then raised his eyes to focus them on the old man.</p><p><span>ー</span>Will you ever be able to repair that, Barragan?</p><p>He got confused stares in response.</p><p><span>ー</span>Can your axe be repaired? After being broken to pieces mercilessly? Can something so horribly destroyed ever be repaired, Captain?</p><p>He waited in silence for a solid minute, his brain trying to process everything that was happening in the meantime. It all made sense now. Grimmjow was probably, <em>very</em> probably the one who murdered "him". Now he had found the other two allies, the ones who orchestated the plan to get rid of "him". They were as guilty as the former councelor. If only he could find the traitor mage too…</p><p>Barragan's tired voice interrupted his thoughts with a sigh.</p><p><span>ー</span>You're going to execute us.</p><p>The Overlord stared coldly.</p><p><span>ー</span>Naturally.</p><p><span>ー</span>What's the point of repairing this if I won't be able to use it? What a stupid question, Your Majesty.</p><p><span>ー</span>Oh, watch your fucking mouth-</p><p><span>ー</span>We're going to die. There's no point in hiding anything!<span>ー</span> Barragan stood tall and proud, towering over the dark king, his eyes arrogant and looking down at him like he was nothing.</p><p>The white haired man's entire body was shaking in rage.</p><p><span>ー</span>What the fuck do you mean?! You, insolent piece of shit! Guards!</p><p>The doors snapped open, and a considerable group of soldiers rushed in, their weapons ready and exchanging a few confused yet determined glances among themselves and with the Overlord, awaiting his orders expectantly.</p><p><span>ー</span>Take these two away! They'll be executed tomorrow, first thing in the damn morning!</p><p><span>ー</span>No! Wait!<span>ー</span> Ggio stood up and tried to save himself by talking, but a second later he was being pinned to the ground by at least four people. He grunted loudly and fought back like an animal, not having the least intention to die.</p><p>To his side, the same thing happened with the old Captain, though taking him down took ten people and a blast from the Overlord himself. Enraged by how things had turned out, Barragan lost it and raised his head defiantly.</p><p>Ggio realized what he was about to do a second too late to tell him to shut up.</p><p><span>ー</span>If we're going to die, you might as well know the full truth! We didn't help Grimmjow to make it happen! We didn't orchestate it!</p><p><span>ー</span>Oh, fuck you, stop lying-!</p><p>
  <em><span>ー</span>We were the ones who tore him apart!</em>
</p><p>Shit.</p><p>The world stopped. The air felt cold, the clouds outside were silent and motionless. Silence reigned in every corner of the Fortress.</p><p>The low sound of a rumble began building up around them.</p><p><span>ー</span>…what?</p><p><span>ー</span>I'll tell you all about it, gladly! The hole in his stomach was done first by Grimmjow! This fool and I, we tore his limbs off him! I used my Rot magic for his leg, if you want more details! I forced it to disintegrate, slowly, so as to make him scream more! It was my pleasure, Your Majesty!</p><p><span>ー</span>You… son of a-!</p><p><span>ー</span>I was the one who gouged his eye off!<span>ー</span> desperate, already hopeless, Ggio interrupted with his own enraged screams. Following his true king's example, he dumped everything at once. <span>ー</span>The scar on his face is mine! And his left hand, I tried to cut it, but since it wasn't deep enough, I decided to just pull it off! Satisfied with the answer!?</p><p><span>ー</span>Shut up, shut up, <em>shut the fuck up!</em> I can't fucking believe it, you two, motherfuckers!<span>ー</span> the Overlord's last chord of sanity was threatening to snap, the sheer pressure of his anger pushing him to the limit.</p><p>Responding to his feelings, the Core was already trying to run rampant, making the dark floating castle tremble dangerously. Windows were cracking and breaking randomly around the rooms, and panic was starting to take over the soldiers who didn't know what was going on.</p><p>The Overlord was going mad.</p><p>And, with their fates already sealed with death, neither Ggio nor Barragan cared.</p><p><span>ー</span>We weren't told to kill him, we were told to leave him as useless as possible. The Commander was supposed to suffer, suffer so much, he begged to be killed! It was a mercy to take his life away!</p><p><span>ー</span>It was fine!<span>ー</span> the tiger Captain yelled. <span>ー</span>It was the right thing to do! He corrupted you! We all wanted him gone because we knew you didn't need him! You should be <em>thanking</em> us, Overlord!</p><p><span>ー</span>That's fucking <b><em>it!</em></b></p><p>Finally, Shirosaki's patience snapped. His gauntlet violently bursted with magic, and he readied it as he walked closer to his two traitorous subordinates. He went for Ggio first, and he closed his eyes, bracing himself for what he knew was coming.</p><p>He felt the heat come closer. He heard the gauntlet clicking, the atmosphere around him being pressured, and he didn't dare to open his eyes one last time. Strong lights seeped through his eyelids, and he trembled in panic as it shone brighter, closer, almost touching him…</p><p>Then nothing.</p><p>A strange sound followed, like something being abruptly shut down, and silence. Ggio could only hear his own ragged breathing, still awaiting the final blow, thinking maybe this was a trick to make him look up. But then it was too long of a wait, and the metallic steps that followed were unsteady and… getting away from him.</p><p>Curiosity and arrogant temptation winning, he opened his eyes and looked up.</p><p>The Overlord was staring down at him, wide eyed, his mouth half open. His gaze went over to Barragan, then back to Ggio, back to the old Captain, back to him.</p><p><span>ー</span>You killed him…<span>ー</span> he gasped, his voice broken but with a hint of something… different, behind it.</p><p>He fell silent. His feral grin came back.</p><p><span>ー</span>You killed him. Ggio, and Barragan, you killed him, but you also met him… you knew him… an old soul and a young soul…<span>ー</span> the white haired king began talking to himself, muttering incoherencies madly, suddenly turning around and bringing a hand up to his chin, walking away with unsteady steps. Guards and Captains alike stared at him and exchanged a few confused glances among themselves, until their leader finally seemed to make a decision.</p><p>He turned back to face them, but this time, he wasn't angry.</p><p><span>ー</span>Death is too good for you.<span>ー</span> he snorted. What was so funny? <span>ー</span>Oh, I can't just kill you. Not like that.</p><p>He smiled like never before.</p><p><span>ー</span>Take them to "his" room, chain them up and wait for me. I know exactly what to do with these goddamned fools.</p><p>Even though they didn't understand what was going on, the guards complied instantly. With a firm grip, they lifted both men up from the ground and forced them to walk.</p><p>For a moment, Ggio resisted. Next second, pain came to the back of his neck, and he faded to black.</p><p>All he knew from there on was fear.</p><p>~☆~</p><p>Dust exploded from all around him the moment he opened the doors of the forbidden room. It had been far too long since someone went in there, the unspoken rule of the Commander telling everyone that specific library was off limits lingering in everyone's minds. Shirosaki coughed up a bit and waved his hand around; damn, it smelled like rotting enclosement.</p><p>He lit up the lights in the room with a snap of his fingers and some extra effort from his gauntlet. The candles and torches were unused for years, they were kind of rusty by then. Once he could discern the path clearly, he walked in, avoiding the scattered books and the random shelves that were left in disorder from the last time anyone went into that place.</p><p>Squinting at his memory, the Overlord sighed in nostalgia as he realized he had been the last one to walk in there, afterwards being scolded drastically by his Commander. He used to spend quite some time in that particular library before, since it had some wacky, strong spells he could make serious use of. In fact, it was there where he found a way to link himself with the Core of the Fortress, granting himself power beyond human comprehension, and control over the entire structure.</p><p>The magic he used for that wasn't inherently bad, so "he" wasn't going to complain about it. What he was looking for now, though, they would have a long talk about it.</p><p><span>ー</span>Where is it, where the fuck is it...<span>ー</span> slightly blinded by excitement, <em>definitely</em> blinded by madness at that point, the dark king searched through the titles and covers looking for the one that managed to send chills down his spine the moment he touched it.</p><p>Time was of essence and his patience was gone, however. After five minutes of useless scavenging, he roared in anger and charged up his gauntlet. Years of history meant nothing; that book survived his blast in the past and it would do so now, fuck all the others.</p><p>Without a care, he fired. Pink and purple engulfed the wooden stands and burned them instantly, obliterating ancient, important scripts and random books alike. The Overlord wheezed in stress, the air going in and out of his body violently. Then the dust cleared, and he slowly calmed down while scanning what was left of the shelves.</p><p>Among the ashes, dirty and also covered by dust, courtesy of how long it had been since it was last opened, the Overlord locked eyes with the purple and golden cover he was looking for. He picked it up, and smiled.</p><p>Yes, this one gave him chills.</p><p><span>ー</span>There you are…<span>ー </span>he said in a low voice.</p><p>
  <em>"I hate this. So much. You wouldn't understand how much I hate this."</em>
</p><p>The white haired man widened his eyes and gritted his teeth, painfully so. A trembling hand went to his hair, and he grasped it for dear life.</p><p><span>ー</span>Not now. Not now, please…</p><p>
  <em>"How could you?"</em>
</p><p>The Overlord shook his head, and was tempted to smack himself to prevent going crazy.</p><p>He didn't have time for this. Fuck it, he didn't.</p><p><span>ー</span>It's for you.<span>ー</span> he whispered, finally. <span>ー</span>It's always for you. It's only for you.</p><p>Firmly grasping the book of Dark Magic in his hands, he rushed out of the room and smashed the doors shut. Never looking back and pushing his thoughts to the back of his mind, he ran towards "his" room and entered without a moment of hesitation.</p><p>Several guards were already there, most of them restraining Barragan while the others watched over an unconscious Ggio. The old man had seemingly not accepted his fate yet and still fought against the chains and the soldiers stabbing him to try keep him in place. Trying to knock him out proved to be impossible, as he was too strong to fall by common guards hitting him in the nape.</p><p>The moment they saw the Overlord, he was received with a variery of different reactions. Barragan barked insults at him, some soldiers looked away in fear, others saluted him diligently and told him they were awaiting his next orders.</p><p>From the person that mattered the most for him, he got silence. He sighed. At least that wouldn't last long anymore.</p><p><span>ー</span>I want three medic magicians to stay inside with me. A common medic too. Someome bring me chalk, a white and a black one.</p><p>The soldiers stared at him for a solid minute. Then the Overlord roared.</p><p><span>ー</span>What are you idiots waiting for!?</p><p><span>ー</span>Sir, yes sir!</p><p>Chaos ensued a second after, yells and orders being barked around the Fortress and the Overlord merely standing in that room, completely still, reading that strange book to himself in front of the casket where "he" rested. Someone ran up to him and offered the king the chalk he requested; the moment they were placed on his hand, he turned his back to the barrier and began working on the floor, crouching down and drawing circles and symbols in utter concentration.</p><p>The more he worked, the wider his grin grew. Once he felt like he was done, he stood up and looked over his finished piece, glancing between the floor and the book until he was sure it was perfect. He walked around it, and sometimes knelt down to fix details here and there.</p><p>He stood tall, then snapped his fingers and motioned for the guards to bring the two traitors closer.</p><p><span>ー</span>Put that bastard here. And you, son of a bitch, Barragan, chain him over there.</p><p><span>ー</span>What are you trying to do!? What is this nonsense!?</p><p><span>ー</span>You stay still and enjoy your last minutes alive, motherfucker.</p><p><span>ー</span>How dare you speak to me like that!?</p><p><span>ー</span>Magicians. Get over here.</p><p>The old man continued to scream threats and insults to the white haired king, but he paid him no mind. The mages that were present in the room went over their leader instantly after his command, and they stood by his side, staring, awaiting orders.</p><p>Shirosaki lifted his hand slowly, and pointed at the barrier.</p><p><span>ー</span>Take it down.</p><p>There was a split second of doubt. A single glance from their King was enough to clear it.</p><p>Overlord's orders, right?</p><p>The magicians and warlocks scattered in panic, going for the pillars with the crystals in them and preparing to dispel the magic that had been imbued in them for three years. Under the pressuring eyes of their king, the mages did as instructed, their hands trembling in dread for what was coming next.</p><p>Shirosaki's gaze fell on the jewels, and he widened his eyes when they began to change colors, never once blinking nor shifting his stare. From the stable bright turquoise, they went to a strange shade of blue, morphing to purple, then to red, and finally dimming down to shadows, going back to their original dormant state. Once the process was done, they clacked loudly as they fell on the floor, their usefulness after years coming to a long awaited end.</p><p>Immediately after that was done, something shifted in the air. Something unrecognizable was released into the room, a different atmosphere altogether. The scent of flowers, the feeling of dissipating warmth and lost hopes, a wave of a strange pressure surrounding everyone present.</p><p>Such was the weight of the past.</p><p><span>ー</span>Take the coffin.<span>ー</span> the Overlord whispered, loud enough for the closest soldiers to hear. <span>ー</span>Place it in the middle of the circle, and take all the flowers out of it.</p><p>While his troops were at it, the white haired man casually walked over Barragan's side, and eyed him with the same arrogant, uncaring eyes he had previously received from him. The old Captain growled threats and attempted to trash the restrains around again, but there was a limit to how many shackles he could get off him at a time. With a smirk, Shirosaki leaned his head to one side slightly, as if curiously looking down at a wacky bug he had found sudden interest in.</p><p><span>ー</span>So, how does it feel to be the one dying on the ground, now?</p><p>Barragan answered between gritted teeth</p><p><span>ー</span>Whatever you want to try and do here… it won't work. You're insane.</p><p><span>ー</span>Oh, you think it won't?<span>ー</span> the Overlord chuckled. <span>ー</span>I'm pretty sure I finally managed to gather everything that was needed for my one and only wish to come true. That's thanks to you, by the way, so I should be very fucking grateful, right?</p><p><span>ー</span>It won't work…</p><p><span>ー</span>Say that again after we're done.</p><p><em><span>ー</span>It won't work!<span>ー</span></em> the elder fighter yelled. Shirosaki took a step back in disgust, was that saliva staining his pants? Ew. <span>ー</span>I'm telling you as a mage of Rot and as someone familiar enough with necromance! You're a hundred years too early to understand all the flaws you have in your pathetic spell!</p><p>The white haired man merely grinned wider and let a tiny laugh escape his lips before turning around and walking away, waving his hand dismissively at the chained man.</p><p><span>ー</span>Rot magic, necromance… you're a hundred years too early to understand it's none of those puny things.</p><p>The pale man chuckled, but his behavior shifted instantly as he turned around, swinging on his heels and roaring at the closest soldiers to finish the job quickly and get away from the coffin. Frightened, the poor men scattered, crashed among themselves, and hurriedly tried to get out of the way, earning a murderous glare from their dark King when one of them slipped and let a few petals fall on the cold stone floor.</p><p>Finally, silence reigned once more. Barragan was for once utterly quiet, his mind attempting to process Shirosaki's words, while everyone else contained their breaths in bitter anticipation. No, rather… that could've very well been dread. No one dared to utter a word or question what was going on. The only thing they all could do was watch as the Overlord circled around the two demoted Captains and the corpse, seemingly inspecting his magic writings one last anxious time.</p><p>The lifted his hand, and opened the book right in the middle.</p><p><span>ー</span>A young soul, an old soul. From the beginning, and from the end.<span>ー</span> the Overlord's reverberating voice echoed in the lair, chanting the lines in a monotone voice. <span>ー</span>From dawn 'til dusk, from dusk 'til dawn, never ending cycle of pain, grab on to the wheel of fate. O' sword that cuts through destiny itself, allow me to come out victorious in the enraged battle between life and death. Let my voice command the Reaper, give back that which wasn't meant to be taken away.</p><p>As the dark king read the long spell out loud, something shifted in the room. A strange pressure began to swirl around him, growing stranger with every word, the strength of it so evident it made the soldiers around take a step back. The magicians widened their eyes and listened carefully, trying to identify the kind of magic the Overlord was casting, but those words and the energy swirling around them was something they couldn't recognize.</p><p><span>ー</span>I say sorry for my sins, and condemn the beginning and the end to die for my wish. Foolish vows and oaths are now broken. Chains of hope and chains of despair, let them be crushed under my hand. O' The End Of All, I command you!</p><p>The swirling black and white energy dissipated for a single second, and didn't even give anyone the chance to blink, brace themselves for what was coming, before a vortex of magic exploded and engulfed everything inside the incantation circle.</p><p>As the soldiers screamed in panic, the Overlord extended his hand and touched the dark tornado, completely ignoring the way it mercilessly cracked and broke his gauntlet and stung his skin painfully. It was now or never. In that split moment, he could control life and death itself.</p><p>All he had to do was give a single order.</p><p>
  <span>ー</span>
  <b>
    <em>Bring him back!</em>
  </b>
</p><p>An inhuman screech erupted from where the energy was running rampant, the eerie crimson light of the incantation circles shining with such strength it was almost blinding. The three beings inside the vortex were completely lost from sight by then, the shapes of both former Captains and the coffin becoming distorted until they were impossible to identify.</p><p>Or, rather, distorted until they were gone.</p><p>The otherworldly howls and screeches were loud and high pitched enough to break all windows around the Fortress, and the echo of the horrifying sounds remained even after they dimmed down to silence, engulfed by the flames of dark magic and leaving the world with them once the spell had come to an end. Those had probably been the most painful five minutes all soldiers had experienced. For them and for the Overlord himself, this had been an experience neither their eyes nor their ears would ever forget.</p><p>The smoke and dust in the room began to clear far too slowly for the Overlord's liking. He could hear coughs and harsh breathings around him; his pathetic army gasping for air and some of them half dead were the first things to come into view, and he spat to one side in disgust, though also hiding the fact he, too, was absolutely exhausted. He could feel something had changed inside of him, and that was besides the way the entirety of his magic had been drained for the spell to be successful. He had nothing left and was utterly defenseless in that moment. If any of his followers noticed such weakness, he was sure at least one or two would attempt a surprise attack to take his life. No, he had to make them believe this had been a piece of cake for him.</p><p>However, that stupid first priority was instantly shoved to the far corners of his mind when the smoke in the circle began to clear. The Overlord widened his eyes and took a step forward, his mouth half open, wanting to utter the name of his one and only sunshine, hoping to get an answer, hear the voice he had missed for so long.</p><p>Gasps of horror came out of his soldiers' mouths when they noticed the absence of the two former Captains, stains of something black marking the place where they used to be. The chains that had been used to restrain Barragan were now laying uselessly on the floor, more black painting them where they used to be in contact with the old man's skin. Both of them were gone, nothing but black left behind.</p><p>But that wasn't what the dark King's yellow eyes were focused on. No, all his concentration was on the shadow of the coffin, the only thing that had remained seemingly untouched from the explosion they had all witnessed.</p><p>There was only tense silence in the room. No one moved a finger, no one blinked, no one breathed. They could do nothing but watch as something shifted inside the smoke and a different shadow rose from the coffin.</p><p>Shirosaki's breath was caught in his throat when everything blocking his vision finally cleared, allowing him and everyone to stare in either joy, horror or shock at the form of the Commander sitting up inside the casket. His eyes were closed, and the clothes he had been wearing were gone, only a few ripped remnants lying inside the darn thing he had been sleeping in for all those years.</p><p>Slowly, his eyelids began to split open, and they blinked a few times before adjusting to the newfound world and remaining open from there on, allowing the Overlord to start to see the first side effects of his spell.</p><p>Whether that had been a mistake or if it was included in the final result, he didn't know. The scars running down across his Commander's face, as well as the space where his missing eye should've been, was now filled and seemingly healed with patches of black, unnatural on his skin and looking certainly uglier than a normal scar. As his yellow eyes travelled down, the Overlord began to recognize more and more black marks around his Commander's body, all of them filling what had been his deadly injuries. His hole had also been filled, stuffed with whatever that black thing was, and both his arms, from a certain point downwards, were replaced with the same substance.</p><p>He couldn't see anything else, the rest of the body still inside the coffin and hidden from view, but the mere sight of the single brown eye staring back at him was enough to make Shirosaki smile like he hadn't in three years, his heart beating wildly and something beautiful coming back to him after all that time.</p><p>He was there. He was right there, back to him, alive, a little stunned, but just <em>there</em>, staring almost expectantly at his Overlord like he used to.</p><p><span>ー</span>Ichigo…!</p><p>Shirosaki didn't wait for an answer nor a reaction. Ignoring everything and everyone around him, he rushed to meet his Commander and couldn't help but hug him, flopping down besides the casket and embracing him desperately, almost clinging to him for dear life.</p><p>There was so much he wanted to say. There was so much he wanted to yell at Ichigo, slap him for being an idiot and letting himself be killed, slap him again for leaving Shiro alone like that, then just cup his face in his hands and kiss him for so long and so deeply they would make up for the lost time instantly. For now, though, the best he could do, <em>muster the strength</em> to do, was hug him and welcome him back to the world of the living with warmth and whispers of happiness.</p><p>Except, things began to crumble when he pulled away to lock eyes with his Commander. At first he ignored it, really, maybe the shock of being brought back to life had been too much and he wasn't quite there yet, but after a chuckle and a minute of silence, a bad feeling began to settle down in the Overlord's gut.</p><p>Ichigo's eye was blank. The brown was void, empty. He wasn't looking at anything, he had never been looking at Shirosaki to begin with. He just wasn't… looking. At all.</p><p><span>ー</span>Hey, dummy, I'm here.<span>ー</span> the white haired tyrant whispered, trying to keep his voice as steady and gentle as he could, and grabbing Ichigo's chin with his burned hand to try and make him shift his stare.</p><p>He resisted the urge to snap his hand back, the unnatural coldness of the orange haired man's skin stinging his hurt flesh like a splash of frozen water. Was that right? No, of course it was, his hand was just in no shape to come in contact with things yet.</p><p>Ichigo couldn't be as cold as <em>that</em>, right? He was alive, so there was no way-</p><p>The thought hit him full force, physically feeling like a slap. Shirosaki instantly lowered himself and pulled the Commander's chest closer to him, placing his ear on it and listening, the gesture almost violent in his rush.</p><p>He pulled away, breathed deeply, blinked at Ichigo's unmoving form… then roared.</p><p><span>ー</span>The magician medics, here, <b><em>now!</em></b></p><p>Reality came crashing down on all magicians and soldiers around them, and the trio that had remained awaiting orders yelped at the mention of their names and rushed over the Overlord, doing their best to ignore everything that had just happened and all the magic laws that had been broken by their king.</p><p><span>ー</span>He's alive, he's alive, isn't he? Is he!?<span>ー</span> Shirosaki stood up and took a step back to let the medics do their thing. <span>ー</span>I did everything right, and he's here, right here, there's no way he's not alive. What's wrong? Is it that black thing? Why can't I hear his heart beating?!</p><p>This was no moment to hesitate. At the rate they were going, the Overlord was going to blow up and kill everyone in the room. The first thing they had to do was check his body in the physical aspect, then go for his aura and his soul. If there was something wrong, they would fix it. Their magic was made to heal the mistakes in the living, and if the Overlord had truly done what they thought he did, then they could treat the Commander like any other patient.</p><p>Still, the thought of <em>it</em> really was enough to send chills down everyone's spines. This wasn't just necromance. Shirosaki had brought someone back to life with actual, true Dark Magic.</p><p><span>ー</span>Well!? What's wrong!?</p><p>One of the magicians was tempted to bite back at their king and tell him they were working on finding the problem and it wasn't an easy process, but the sudden feeling that came over them changed everything.</p><p>Shirosaki glared at the trio looming over his Commander, awaiting an answer, and grew both anxious and furious beyond understanding when he noticed something had caught their attention and they weren't listening to him.</p><p>After a minute of no response, he couldn't take it anymore.</p><p><span>ー</span>What <em>is</em> it!?<span>ー</span> he roared, grabbing the closest mage by the collar of his robes and lifting him with ease, ignoring how his hurting hand didn't feel anything this time. <span>ー</span>What's wrong with him? Why are you suddenly so quiet? Tell me what you found!</p><p>The man gulped, and frantically searched for the correct words to answer his leader. Lucky him, another one came to his rescue and responded something more certain before his partner was ripped to shreds.</p><p><span>ー</span>We would heal whatever's wrong with him if we could, Your Majesty-</p><p><span>ー</span>Then do it!?</p><p><span>ー</span>W-we can't<span>ー</span> he stuttered. <span>ー</span>We can't heal a dead person. Our magic doesn't work.</p><p><span>ー</span>He's not dead! He's alive, right there! I brought him back!</p><p><span>ー</span>Y-your Highness… <span>ー</span> The last magician stood up and took a moment to recompose before continuing, their discovery something so horrifying he could barely process it. <span>ー</span>He's… he's not alive. If it was a normal ritual of necromance, he would… he would have his soul. The original one. This wasn't normal, yes, but he should still have a soul of his own, but, but now…</p><p><span>ー</span>Now what?<span>ー</span> Although dreading the answer, the Overlord still had to know.</p><p>The magician gulped.</p><p><span>ー</span>You mashed two souls together to create a new one for him, but it's… you didn't… what he has inside isn't a soul, it's like the scattered remnants of the two you sacrificed.</p><p><span>ー</span>What the fuck does that mean!?</p><p><span>ー</span>He doesn't have a soul. It's just… it's more like an engine, Your Majesty. You created a living doll. He's awake, but not… not aware. Not conscious. Not… alive. He's dead, you just made his body move on its own again.</p><p>The words weren't instantly processed. The magician in his hold was lowered to the ground absent mindedly. The Overlord wasn't paying attention anymore, although more nonsense explanations were coming out of the mouths around him. One of his soldiers came closer and said something he didn't understand. The magicians answered him. They were talking, one of them crouched back down to keep checking on Ichigo.</p><p>The world was moving too fast and Shirosaki wasn't keeping up with it.</p><p>
  <em>What had he done?</em>
</p><p>~☆~</p><p>Half his lifespan. He had given this thing half of his remaining lifespan, and it was for nothing.</p><p>He had woken up abruptly again, another night of haunting memories turned into bad dreams that prevented him from having a decent sleep, and had come face to face with the looming silhouette of that thing, standing in front of his bed with his head tilted slightly to one side. He probably heard the ragged breaths of the Overlord and had walked over him from his chair, uncaring amidst the darkness and knowing exactly where the other was.</p><p>He was still ridiculously, utterly useless.</p><p>Shirosaki was thankful the night was particularly dark that day. He couldn't see the single brown eye boring blankly into his soul, waiting for who knows what. Orders? It's not like he could follow them anyway. That darned thing could only do simple things: standing up, sitting down, following Shirosaki, nodding or shaking his head when requested, but that was about it. Speaking? No. Giving his own opinion and thoughts? Out of question, he couldn't even think for himself.</p><p>He hated it. The Overlord absolutely hated that doll, wearing the body of his Commander and attached to him in some sick gesture of loyalty. It was outright cruel, the way he behaved as if he was alive but then suddenly reminded Shiro he wasn't.</p><p>That thing, Not-Ichigo, knew when the white haired king needed something, and always went over him as if to let him know he knew. But he never did anything about it. He knew Shiro was thirsty, but didn't have enough brains to bring him a glass of water. He knew Shiro was sad, but never did any attempt to comfort him.</p><p>He knew Shiro had just had a nightmare. But of course, as always, he just stood there. He wouldn't do anything about it. He couldn't.</p><p><span>ー</span>Go back to your chair. I'm fine.<span>ー</span> the Overlord whispered, his breathing still harsh and uncontrolled.</p><p>However, no matter all the flaws he had and all the pain he brought him, he couldn't bring himself to kill him. He couldn't lose him. Not again.</p><p>Shirosaki watched as the black silhouette seemed to take a few uneasy steps around, his head bobbing uselessly in a short lived moment of confusion, until he finally turned around and began walking back to his corner, flopping down on the chair he had been given and staying still, once again unmoving and quiet like a statue.</p><p>The Overlord sighed. What a pain in the ass.</p><p><span>ー</span>Why did you come? I didn't order you to.- he asked out loud, though he knew there would be no answer.</p><p>He wiped some sweat off his forehead and squinted his eyes in the darkness, trying to make out Not-Ichigo's form, his mind imagining Ichigo in his place, the real one, not sitting on the chair but sleeping on his own bed. He imagined how things would've gone if his spell had gone right- well, it <em>did</em> go right, it just didn't do what he thought it would. He thought it was going to revive Ichigo, not turn his corpse into a mindless slave. He thought it was going to bring everything back to normal, not break him more than he already was.</p><p>He thought it would make things easier to bear, as long as he had the one and only love of his life by his side. Instead, it made everything a hundred times harder, <em>while also</em> keeping the most important person to him right there, with him, in a world that already meant nothing to him.</p><p>Without Ichigo, it meant nothing to him.</p><p><span>ー</span>Will you die if I order you to?<span>ー</span> Shirosaki suddenly questioned, the same idea of every night coming to him, as if he hadn't asked the same thing a hundred times already. <span>ー</span>If you really are so hooked on obeying me, will you die if I tell you to?</p><p>A moment of motionless silence.</p><p><span>ー</span>…shake your head.</p><p>Not-Ichigo shook his head.</p><p><span>ー</span>Ah, I see… will you die if I die, then?</p><p>Silence.</p><p><span>ー</span>Nod.</p><p>Not-Ichigo nodded.</p><p><span>ー</span>Do you… <em>want</em> to die?</p><p>No response. The white haired king chuckled and looked away.</p><p><span>ー</span>Just shake your head.</p><p>Tiredly, he closed his eyes.</p><p><span>ー</span>I'm… so glad you're still here with me. And so glad you want to stay. I love you, Ichigo.</p><p>Shirosaki took a deep breath, feeling himself calming down from his nightmare. It was still comforting to have short exchanges like those with his Commander. Talking a little, even if it was one sided, then get silent, simple responses, complying with his wishes… it almost felt as if Ichigo was back there with him. And it was, indeed, a beautiful feeling he had forgotten during all those years of solitude.</p><p>Someday he would realize he had already lost all of his sanity to a walking corpse. He had been defeated.</p><p>It wouldn't be long for the tyrant's reign to come to an end.<br/><br/></p><p>
  <em>(He never saw Ichigo's nod.)</em>
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